Culturing Microorganisms GCSE Practical

GCSE Biology Required Practical - Culturing Microorganisms

Investigate the effects of antiseptics, antibiotics or plant extracts on microbial cultures.

• This practical provides the opportunity for learners to carry out aseptic techniques.
• Petri dishes pre-poured with agar must be inoculated with bacteria and discs of antiseptic/antibiotics/plant extracts can be used to determine their effect on bacterial growth.
• Sterile aseptic technique must include the use of a Bunsen burner.

Microbiology - GCSE Science Required Practical (Triple)
How to prepare a culture of E.coli bacteria to test antibiotics on?

00:00 Preparing agar plate (aseptic technique)
03:22 Adding bacteria
07:38 Adding antibiotics discs
11:14 Sealing plate
13:24 Analysing results

Required Practical: Culturing Microorganisms

1. How we can culture bacteria?
2. How we can use these techniques to investigate the effect of antibiotics on bacterial growth?

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Check out the sample question and solution on Sample Assessment Material (page 27), paper 1BI0/1BH and 1BIO/1BF.

Streptococcus pyogenes is a bacterium that causes communicable infections.
(a) Scientists tested the ability of two antiseptics to kill Streptococcus pyogenes bacteria.
They spread Streptococcus pyogenes bacteria on two agar jelly plates and places a small disc of filter paper containing antiseptic at the centre of each dish.

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